Monthly Archives

September 2021

September 25, 2021
7

PREGNANCY MASSAGE

By | Health, Massage | One Comment

Carrying a new life is a happy but challenging time for any woman, but it is not always stress free. We’ve talked with Joanne, a trained pregnancy massage specialist, about why she decided to learn this type of massage and which benefits it brings.

Prenatal massage is a technique very similar to the Swedish massage, which focuses on long, sweeping strokes, avoiding direct pressure on the body. This massage puts the needs of the future mother first, concentrating on the areas which are most swollen or sore. Pillows are often used for support, as the massage can also be done while lying on the side.

This is what Joanne says about the benefits:

“A pregnancy massage is so beneficial in many ways as firstly it helps you to relax and take some time out for yourself. This is really important for both you and your baby as your baby can feel if you are stressed, so the more relaxed you are, the more relaxed your baby will be.”

Joanne is a mother of two beautiful girls, so she definitely has experience with what a pregnant woman might need. When Joanne went through the whole process of her body changing, she decided to learn the pregnancy massage technique to help other women.

“Secondly, it has many benefits on your body by reducing tired swollen limbs especially the legs and feet and the blood flow is automatically increased, leaving you feeling refreshed and energized”

Improved blood flow brings many benefits to the body. Releasing the tension in the nerves and muscles the massage helps blood circulate actively in the regions where it couldn’t before, reaching all the vital organs as well as your brain.

“I finish the treatment with a face and scalp massage, which again is so beneficial as there are many muscles in the face and head that are often neglected and can lead to tension headaches.”

If you can do one thing for yourself during your pregnancy- treat yourself to a massage because you are special and you deserve it!

Your Glow Concierge

&

Joanne

September 17, 2021
9

HOW TO BEAT THE HOLIDAY WEIGHT GAIN

By | Fitness, Health, Home, Nutrition | 2 Comments

We’re almost three weeks into September – exactly the time when your mind has already forgotten all about your last vacation, but the body is left to sort out the consequences.

Whether you hopped on a flight to your favorite spot, or staycationed closer to home, we definitely all indulged in that extra bowl of pasta and glass of wine this summer. To get you back to feeling your tip top best, here are our weight loss tips.

  1. Drop the soda… and the wine. Get back to basics with the good stuff, water. Try drinking warm water eight times a day – it acts like a dishwasher for your digestive system, cleaning out all the gunk and toxins as it goes.
  2. Take a break from stress. Stress hormones are brilliant at storing fat! Great when we were cave people, but terrible for modern day weightloss. We want to reduce the body’s instinct to produce the stress hormone. When stress can’t be avoided, make sure you give your body a reset with something calming like a hot bath, restorative yoga or meditation.
  3. Bring back breakfast! As tempting as it is to skip a meal, its actually counterintuitive for losing weight. Having a healthy breakfast featuring protein, fiber and healthy fats will keep cravings and snacking at bay as it stabilises your blood sugar.
  4. Make home cooking fashionable again. This is fundamental for weight loss success. Not only does this control your portion sizes, but it means you know exactly what’s going into your meal. There’s no chance of hidden additives, non-organic ingredients or secret sugar.
  5. Move your body. Increasing your daily activity isn’t just about calories burnt – it helps manage stress and boost your mood. Getting in those sweaty work outs is amazing, but don’t forget to have fun. Dancing to your favorite songs is just as effective. Remember to have a little protein after your workout to aid muscle repair.

Daisy Quin – Yoga Instructor and Nutritionist from LA

September 10, 2021
5

AUTUMN SKIN DRYNESS

By | Beauty, Health | No Comments

Is your skin experiencing a summer hangover? It often happens that, as the humidity of the air lowers in the autumn, the skin starts losing its fresh summer looks and becomes dry. In this article, we’ll see how we can help our skin adjust to the new cooler weather.

In autumn, not only our skin but also our bodies go through some adjustments. The immune system suddenly gets more factors to fight with and less support from the sun. Therefore, the skin barrier can get quite fragile, resulting in the increased sensitivity and dryness. Moreover, the “damaged” barrier can let more pollution and other external aggravators deeper into the skin – increasing the chances of inflammation and redness.

Here are some tips to help you reinforce your natural skin barriers:

1 CLEANSE

Life in the city is not easy on our skin. Even in Switzerland, you can find some pollutants that would eventually settle on the skin. Cleaning the natural dead cells as well as the accumulating “debris” ensures that none of your pores is open and ready to receive the next cream or serum. Cleansing cream or milk fitting to your skin type is a great choice to nurture the skin while cleaning it.

2 MOISTURIZE

Changing temperatures can exhaust and dry the skin. Moisturizing brings in that extra vitamins, oils and liquids that the skin might be missing. It’s important to remember to choose the moisturizer fitting to your skin type. Choose lighter creams if you tend to have oily skin. Vogue suggests “looking to ceramides and lipids to prevent moisture loss and retain hydration…”. Such moisturizers “create a layer over the skin and stop water escaping”

Creams with Vitamin C are also great for brightening dull-looking skin and hyaluronic acid for an instant hydration hit.

3 EXFOLIATE

Scrubbing is perfect for removing dead cells, improving blood flow and smoothening the skin. But don’t run to your favorite mechanical scrub yet. Your skin is already damaged by the weather, and strong rubbing is the last thing it needs right now. They will only create micro-tears and damage the natural barrier even more.

In autumn, go for some professional chemical scrubs with acids. Of course, great caution is needed while using acids. But they are perfect for polishing the skin and making it smooth. Lactic acid is a great chemical exfoliant, as it hydrates at the same time as exfoliating. And mandelic acid works great with acne-prone skin and fights inflammation.

It’s best to consult with a dermatologist or with your facial provider before going for acidic skincare. They can tell you what your skin needs and help find the products that may not be on the pharmacy’s shelves. It’s also crucial to use the right rebuilding products after exfoliating.

3 WEAR SPF EVERY DAY

If you don’t feel the sun it doesn’t mean it’s not shining. The damaging UV rays can reach you even if it’s not 30 degrees outside. Include a cream or oil with an SPF factor against UVA and UVB rays to protect yourself from micro ageing symptoms and skin cancer.

4 EAT HEALTHY

Our skin reacts to both outside and “inside” factors. Taking extra care of it while you feel stressed or don’t eat healthily is important. Autumn is a great season for eating fresh, local vegetables and fruits. Support your skin from the inside out, and maybe it’ll not react as aggressive to the changing temperatures.

A refreshing or highly moisturizing facial once a month can reinforce your skin barrier and keep it balanced. Our Providers know a great deal about skin products and can always consult you on your personal needs during the treatment.

Your Glow Concierge

TOP AUTUMN FACIALS FROM ANDREI:

Firming Vitamin C Facial – Vitamin C stimulates the production of collagen fibers and protects the cells from free radicals, regenerates cells and prevents excessive skin pigmentation. Fights dull-looking skin and reinforces its natural glow.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Facial– A relaxing, non-invasive treatment which is recommended for everyone, no matter the time of the year or your age. It has a regenerative effect on the on your face and neck wrinkles, it hydrates the skin, reduces spots, and it gives you a glowing, healthy looking complexion. Glow Concierges Favorite!

Therma Vital Mineral Facial – A treatment recommended for all skin types, including acne and sensitive skin. Using an abundance of vitamins and mineral, this treatment quickly detoxifies, hydrates, revitalizes and regenerates a dull complexion, sensitive or problematic skin. A great booster in winter and autumn.

For any facial with Andrei, you can choose between a foot and hand massage or a neck and shoulder massage while the mask is on.

September 4, 2021
4

MANICURE. KEEPING IT CHIC & CASUAL

By | Beauty, Fashion | No Comments

Nail art is controversial. Some can wear 3 cm extensions with flowers and crystals and some don’t even paint their nails and prefer natural. But is there a middle ground? Can you combine two or more colors and still look casual?

We’ve researched the feeds of the most influential nail artists all over the world to find calm, casual, every-day and yet chic and interesting nails.

5 COLOR COMBO. THE TRENDIEST OF ALL.

You’re probably thinking “what does the first photo have to do with casual?!” and you’re right. This artist used very bright colors to keep up with the summer trends. But we can always pick up this trend and give it an autumn look. Use darker shades of brown, orange, red or gray, and you’ve got yourself a perfect color-only nail art that ANY artist can do!

UNUSUAL SHAPES

Again, colors are completely up to you. Put some tape before applying the nail polish to make the lines perfectly straight and experiment. This easy and creative solution will definitely get some surprised gazes from your colleagues.

STRAIGHT LINES

Vertical, horizontal or curved – lines are always fun. Let your nail master use his/her imagination and just draw a couple across your finished manicure. It won’t take more than ten minutes, but will make your manicure look authentic and fun.

NOT YOUR REGULAR FRENCH

Artists have been playing with colors in French manicure this whole summer. From natural and white it suddenly went to black, red, rainbow – basically all the colors you could possibly imagine. Going into autumn you could take a basic white, black or nude as a base and add some red to it for an impactful look.

As you might have noticed, all the ideas in this post are very beginner-friendly. So if you’re doing your manicure at home or are not sure whether your nail artist can do some crazy art, we hope you can use any of them!

Our top nail masters Aleksandra and Laura are always open to your new ideas. Bring some designs with you, and they won’t stop until your nails look fabulous.